The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to surgical devices, and in particular to systems and devices that include laparoscopic ports.
In common practice, laparoscopic surgery (or “laparoscopy”) is performed using slender shafts with surgical tools that are introduced into the body via a laparoscopic port which provides a direct channel between a bodily chamber (e.g., abdominal cavity) and outer environment. In Microlaparoscopy, thinner shafts are used, being of 3 mm or less diameter, and are provided with or connectable with surgical tool heads (optionally, detachable end-effectors). Regular sized surgical tools or tool heads may be of 3 mm to 20 mm in diameter, but more commonly between 5 mm and 12 mm.
International Patent Application No. PCT/IB2011/054102, the disclosure of which is fully incorporated herein by reference, describes method and means to assemble an end-effector to a distal end of a micro-sized shaft by initially introducing the shaft into the abdominal cavity in an entry point that is distant to a laparoscopic port; then pushing the shaft distal end outside the abdominal cavity through an the laparoscopic port; assembling the end-effector onto the shaft distal end under direct vision outside the abdominal cavity; and pulling the assembled device back into the abdominal cavity. In some embodiments thereof, guiding means are described for allowing direct passage for the shaft and/or end-effectors from a chosen point in the abdominal cavity to and through the laparoscopic port to outer environment. In some embodiments thereof, such guiding means are used also to bypass gas sealing or valve mechanism of the laparoscopic port.